1、外语下载中心 http:/ 2010年硕士研究生入学考试考研英语真题Section I Use of EnglishDirections:Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)In 1924 American National Research Council sent to engineers to supervise a series of industrial experimen
2、ts at a large telephone-parts factory called the Hawthorne Plant near Chicago. It hoped they would learn how stop-floor lignting_1_workers productivity. Instead, the studies ended _2_giving their name to the “Hawthorne effect”, the extremely influential idea that the very_3_to being experimented upo
3、n changed subjects behavior.The idea arose because of the _4_behavior of the women in the Hawthorne plant. According to _5_of the experiments, their hourly output rose when lighting was increased, but also when it was dimmed. It did not _6_what was done in the experiment; _7_someting was changed ,pr
4、oductivity rose. A(n)_8_that they were being experimented upon seemed to be _9_to alter workers behavior _10_itself.After several decades, the same data were _11_ to econometric the analysis. Hawthorne experiments has another surprise store _12 _the descriptions on record, no systematic _13_ was fou
5、nd that levels of productivity were related to changes in lighting.It turns out that peculiar way of conducting the experiments may be have let to_ 14_ interpretation of what happed._ 15_ , lighting was always changed on a Sunday .When work started again on Monday, output _16_ rose compared with the
6、 previous Saturday and_ 17 _to rise for the next couple of days._ 18_ , a comparison with data for weeks when there was no experimentation showed that output always went up on Monday, workers_ 19_ to be diligent for the first few days of the week in any case , before _20 _a plateau and then slackeni
7、ng off. This suggests that the alleged” Hawthorne effect “ is hard to pin down.1. A affected B achieved C extracted D restored2. A at Bup C with D off3. Atruth Bsight C act D proof4. A controversial B perplexing Cmischievous D ambiguous5. Arequirements Bexplanations C accounts D assessments6. A conc
8、lude B matter C indicate D work7. A as far asB for fear that C in case that D so long as8. A awareness B expectation C sentiment D illusion9. A suitable B excessive C enough D abundant10. A about B for C on D by11. A compared Bshown C subjected D conveyed12. A contrary to B consistent with C paralle
9、l with D pealliar to13. A evidence Bguidance Cimplication Dsource14. A disputable Benlightening Creliable Dmisleading15. A In contrast B For example C In consequence D As usual16. A duly Baccidentally C unpredictably D suddenly17. Afailed Bceased Cstarted Dcontinued20. Abreaking Bclimbing Csurpassin
10、g Dhiting Section II Reading ComprehensionPart A外语下载中心 http:/ Directions:Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. (40 points)Text 1Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during
11、the past quarter-century, perhaps the m ost far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage.It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found i
12、n most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant c ollections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of new spaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once deemed suitable for publication
13、 in general-circulation dailies.We are even farther rem oved from the unfocused newspaper review spublished in England between the turn of t he 2 0th century and the eve of World War , at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts crit icism was consi dered an ornament to the publications
14、 in which it appe ared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted tha t the cri tics of major papers woul dwri te in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bern ard Shaw and Ernest
15、 Newman, could be trus ted to know what they were a bout. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. “So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism, ”Newman wrote, “ that I am tempted to definej
16、ournalism as a term of cont empt appl ied by writers who are not read to writers who are. ”Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely as a writer of essays ont he ga
17、me of cricket. During his l ifetime, though, he was also one of Englands foremost classical-music critics, and a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography（ 1947）became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so ho nored. Yet on ly one of his books is now in print,
18、 and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.Is there any chance that Carduss criticism will enjoy a revi val? The prospect seems remote. Jour nalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern reader shave little use for the ric hly upholstered Vicwardian pr
19、ose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.21. It is indicated in Paragraphs 1 and 2 thatA arts criticism has disappeared from big-city newspapers.B English-language newspapers used to carry more arts reviews.C high-quality newspapers
20、 retain a large body of readers.D young readers doubt the suitability of criticism on dailies.22. Newspaper reviews in England before world warwere characterized byA free themes.B casual style.C elaborate layout.D radical viewpoints.外语下载中心 http:/ 23. which of the following would Shaw and Newman most
21、 probably agree on？A It is writers duty to fulfill journalistic goals.B It is contemptible for writers to be journalists.C Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism.D Not all writers are capable of journalistic writing.24. What can be learned about Cardus according to the last two paragraphs?
22、A His music criticism may not appeal to readers today.B His reputation as a music critic has long been in dispute.CHis style caters largely to modern specialists.DHis writings fail to follow the amateur tradition.25. What would be the best title for the text?A Newspapers of the Good Old Days.B The l
23、ost Horizon in Newspapers.C Mournful Decline of Journalism.D Prominent Critics in Memory.Text 2Over the past decade, thousands of patents have been granted for what are called business methods. A received one for its “one-click” online payment system. Merrill Lynch got legal protection for an asset
24、allocation strategy. One inventor patented a technique for lifting a box.Now the nations top patent court appears completely ready to scale back on business-method patents, which have been controversial ever since they were first authorized 10 years ago. In a move that has intellectual-property lawy
25、ers abuzz the U.S. court of Appeals for the federal circuit said it would use a particular case to conduct a broad review of business-method patents. In re Bilski , as the case is known , is “a very big deal”, says DennisD. Crouch of the University of Missouri School of law. It “has the potential to
26、 eliminate an entire class of patents.”Curbs on business-method claims would be a dramatic about-face, because it was the federal circuit itself that introduced such patents with is 1998 decision in the so-called state Street Bank case, approving a patent on a way of pooling mutual-fund assets. That
27、 ruling produced an explosion in business-method patent filings, initially by emerging internet companies trying to stake out exclusive pinhts to specific types of online transactions. Later, move established companies raced to add such patents to their files, if only as a defensive move against riv
28、als that might beat them to the punch. In 2005, IBM noted in a court filing that it had been issued more than 300 business-method patents despite the fact that it questioned the legal basis for granting them. Similarly, some Wall Street investment films armed themselves with patents for financial pr
29、oducts, even as they took positions in court cases opposing the practice.The Bilski case involves a claimed patent on a method for hedging risk in the energy market. The Federal circuit issued an unusual order stating that the case would be heard by all 12 of the courts judges, rather than a typical
30、 panel of three, and that one issue it wants to evaluate is whether it should” reconsider” its state street Bank ruling.The Federal Circuits action comes in the wake of a series of recent decisions by the supreme Count that has narrowed the scope of protections for patent holders. Last April, for ex
31、ample the justices signaled that too many patents were being upheld for “inventions” that are obvious. The 外语下载中心 http:/ judges on the Federal circuit are “reacting to the anti_ patent trend at the supreme court” ,says Harole C.wegner, a partend attorney and professor at aeorge Washington University
32、 Law School.26. Business-method patents have recently aroused concern because ofA their limited value to businessB their connection with asset allocationC the possible restriction on their grantingD the controversy over authorization27. Which of the following is true of the Bilski case?A Its ruling
33、complies with the court decisionsB It involves a very big business transactionC It has been dismissed by the Federal CircuitD It may change the legal practices in the U.S.28. The word “about-face” (Line 1, Paro 3) most probably meansA loss of good willB increase of hostilityC change of attitudeD enh
34、ancement of dignity29. We learn from the last two paragraphs that business-method patentsA are immune to legal challengesB are often unnecessarily issuedC lower the esteem for patent holdersD increase the incidence of risks30. Which of the following would be the subject of the text?A A looming threa
35、t to business-method patentsB Protection for business-method patent holdersC A legal case regarding business-method patentsD A prevailing trend against business-method patents Text 3In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Aladuell argues that social epidemics are driven in large part by the acting of
36、 a tiny minority of special individuals, often called influentials, who are unusually informed, persuasive, or well-connected. The idea is intuitively compelling, but it doesnt explain how ideas actually spread.The supposed importance of influentials derives from a plausible sounding but largely unt
37、ested theory called the “two step flow of communication”: Information flows from the media to the influentials and from them to everyone else. Marketers have embraced the two-step flow because it suggests that if they can just find and influence the influentials, those selected people will do most o
38、f the work for them. The theory also seems to explain the sudden and unexpected popularity of certain looks, brands, or neighborhoods. In many such cases, a cursory search for causes finds that some small group of people was wearing, promoting, or developing whatever it is before anyone else paid at
39、tention. Anecdotal evidence of this kind fits nicely with the idea that only certain special people can drive trends外语下载中心 http:/ In their recent work, however, some researchers have come up with the finding that influentials have far less impact on social epidemics than is generally supposed. In fa
40、ct, they dont seem to be required of all.The researchers argument stems from a simple observing about social influence, with the exception of a few celebrities like Oprah Winfrey-whose outsize presence is primarily a function of media, not interpersonal, influence-even the most influential members o
41、f a population simply dont interact with that many others. Yet it is precisely these non-celebrity influentials who, according to the two-step-flow theory, are supposed to drive social epidemics by influencing their friends and colleagues directly. For a social epidemic to occur, however, each perso
42、n so affected, must then influence his or her own acquaintances, who must in turn influence theirs, and so on; and just how many others pay attention to each of these people has little to do with the initial influential. If people in the network just two degrees removed from the initial influential
43、prove resistant, for example from the initial influential prove resistant, for example the cascade of change wont propagate very far or affect many people.Building on the basic truth about interpersonal influence, the researchers studied the dynamics of populations manipulating a number of variables
44、 relating of populations, manipulating a number of variables relating to peoples ability to influence others and their tendency to be influenced. Our work shows that the principal requirement for what we call “global cascades”- the widespread propagation of influence through networks - is the presen
45、ce not of a few influentials but, rather, of a critical mass of easily influenced people, each of whom adopts, say, a look or a brand after being exposed to a single adopting neighbor. Regardless of how influential an individual is locally, he or she can exert global influence only if this critical
46、mass is available to propagate a chain reaction.31.By citing the book The Tipping Point, the author intends toAanalyze the consequences of social epidemicsBdiscuss influentials function in spreading ideasCexemplify peoples intuitive response to social epidemicsDdescribe the essential characteristics
47、 of influentials.32.The author suggests that the “two-step-flow theory”Aserves as a solution to marketing problemsBhas helped explain certain prevalent trendsChas won support from influentialsDrequires solid evidence for its validity33.what the researchers have observed recently shows thatA the powe
48、r of influence goes with social interactionsB interpersonal links can be enhanced through the mediaC influentials have more channels to reach the publicD most celebrities enjoy wide media attention34.The underlined phrase “these people” in paragraph 4 refers to the ones whoA stay outside the network of social influenceB have little contact with the source of influenceC are influenced and then
